'Scream' TV Reboot Gets Full Series Order From MTV
MTV is bringing the screams to its drama lineup.
The network has given a full series order to the TV reboot of Scream, the popular horror film franchise from Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson. The 10-episode series will premiere in October 2015.
The one-hour show will star Willa Fitzgerald, John Karna, Connor Weil, and The Killing alum Bex Taylor Klaus in a story presumably based on the original film, although specifics are scarce at the moment. The pilot is directed by Faking It's Jamie Travis, from a script by Jay Beattie and Dan Dworkin (Revenge), with Jill Blotevogel (Ravenswood) acting as executive producer/showrunner.
News of the show's pickup was announced in a unique and interesting way: MTV tweeted out a phone number that, when dialed, results in a male voice asking, "Do you like scary TV?", a reference to the original film's iconic "Do you like scary movies?" line. However, while the show will retain the Scream name, it will not feature the original film's most recognizable element: the murderous Ghostface.
FunWorld's R.J. Torbert, who holds the rights to the Ghostface character, stated he is not currently involved with the project: "GHOST FACE® is not involved in the new format ... it does not mean, that Ghost Face® will not be involved at a later date," Torbert wrote on Ghostface.co.uk. "So, there is still a question, to the question. However, as of now, there is no involvement."
Naturally, the show will have to be reworked to stand on its own, outside the context of the original film. The lack of Ghostface really does beg the question of why this is even called Scream, particularly since it's uncertain how much cultural influence the Scream name even holds, considering a Scream movie hasn't been seen since 2011's Scream 4. Then again, that movie made over $100 million at the box office, suggesting there's still a big enough audience for this franchise to turn a profit. I suppose we'll see what kind of numbers this show pulls when it premieres next October.
Credit: Dimension Films